Support for breastfeeding

Although so many experts recommend breastfeeding as the best way of feeding your baby and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed up to 12 months of age (with exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months), it’s easier said than done. Why? Because when it comes to practicalities there just isn‘t that much support out there.

Most moms have to return to work when their baby is still very tiny and if their employer isn’t very sympathetic in giving them time to express milk, it can just seem easier to switch over to formula. Figures from the Centers for Disease Control show that just 30 percent of breastfed babies are exclusively fed on breast milk up until three months of age, and only 41 percent of six-month-old babies get any breast milk at all. And some moms don’t even try breastfeeding period, surrounded as they are by advertisements for formula milk that make bottlefeeding seem like the norm and by a culture that’s not very forgiving when it comes to catching you in the act of breastfeeding.

It’s vital that women who want to breastfeed have support from people around them: their family, friends, employers; and also the permission of society to do so. Unfortunately, some women may feel intimidated or uncomfortable about the prospect of breastfeeding in public and it’s the duty of the general public to allay those negative feelings. Despite the fact that it’s a mom’s legal right to breastfeed in public, many moms feel they can’t and those that do often run into problems.

Attitudes need to change in society and employers could help this happen by instituting breastfeeding friendly initiatives – for example, a room where employees can express milk. If you’re not the only new mom at your place of work, why don’t you join forces to ask your bosses to set the wheels in motion? You have the perfect argument in the fact that breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from a whole range of illnesses, including vomiting and diarrhea, allergies, eczema, ear infections and urinary tract infections among others. That translates into far fewer personal days off for you to take care of a sick child. Plus the fact that you’ll be able to continue to ensure your baby benefits from your breast milk will make you a far happier and productive employee when you return from your maternity leave.

Lastly, women often need hands-on support to get breastfeeding right – if you’re not sure if you’re latching your baby on correctly make sure you get that support by contacting a local lactation counselor who can check what you’re doing – La Leche League International (www.llli.org) has an online tool for finding a lactation counselor.

Why not chat to other moms about this, or other topics, by leaving a message on the feeding and food area of our chat forum? Alternately, if you want to meet other moms in your area with similar age babies, visit our people section to find out what’s happening in your area, or join or start one of our groups.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.